Latest news with #Ramage
Ottawa Citizen
2 days ago
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Canadiens prospect Michael Hage has taken great strides at Michigan
Article content Canadiens prospect Michael Hage got off to an impressive start last season as a freshman at the University of Michigan. Article content Rob Ramage, the Canadiens' director of player personnel, was in Michigan to watch Hage — selected in the first round (21st overall) of last year's NHL Draft — play his first two NCAA games at centre against Minnesota State. Hage, who was listed at 6-foot-1 and 188 pounds when the Canadiens drafted him, had a goal and three assists as Michigan split the two-game series. Article content Article content Article content Ramage was also there a couple of months later, when Hage got bounced around by a very physical and heavy Michigan State team. Article content Article content 'From the development standpoint, that was great and he was aware of that,' Ramage said about the game against Michigan State Thursday when Hage was among the 31 Canadiens prospects who scrimmaged in Brossard as the Canadiens wrapped up this year's development camp. Article content Hage finished his freshman season at Michigan with 13-21-34 totals in 33 games and was named the Big Ten's rookie of the year. Michigan didn't qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019, finishing the season with an overall record of 18-15-3. Article content As the season went on, Hage became a target for older and stronger opposing players. Article content 'As I said to him, 'Michael, if you're an elite player get used to it,'' Ramage said Thursday. 'The good players, the elite players, they find a way. He's a really solid young man. He takes it to heart. He really cares. One thing we talked about being with him last night is that it's good to take it to heart, but don't let it affect your game. It's a game of failures some times.' Article content Article content Article content Smooth is the best way to describe Hage's game. Everything he does is smooth, from his skating, to his stickhandling and his playmaking. He stayed at the University of Michigan after the season ended to work out in the gym and put on about 10 pounds ahead of the Canadiens' development camp. Article content 'I feel like it has really helped me,' the 19-year-old said. 'The strength and conditioning coaches and just the resources that we have at school are unbelievable. It's really helped me so far and I think it's going to help me next year.' Article content Hage will be going back to the University of Michigan for his sophomore season. When Ramage was asked when Hage might be ready to turn pro, he said: 'We're one year at a time right now. He was a freshman last year playing against older guys. Let's give him this year, we'll see where he's at.' Article content Michael Hage (No. 25 red), Canadiens' first-round pick (21st overall) at last year's NHL Draft, in action at #Habs development camp. — Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) July 2, 2025
Edmonton Journal
2 days ago
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Canadiens prospect Michael Hage has taken great strides at Michigan
Article content Canadiens prospect Michael Hage got off to an impressive start last season as a freshman at the University of Michigan. Article content Rob Ramage, the Canadiens' director of player personnel, was in Michigan to watch Hage — selected in the first round (21st overall) of last year's NHL Draft — play his first two NCAA games at centre against Minnesota State. Hage, who was listed at 6-foot-1 and 188 pounds when the Canadiens drafted him, had a goal and three assists as Michigan split the two-game series. Article content Article content Ramage was also there a couple of months later, when Hage got bounced around by a very physical and heavy Michigan State team. Article content Article content 'From the development standpoint, that was great and he was aware of that,' Ramage said about the game against Michigan State Thursday when Hage was among the 31 Canadiens prospects who scrimmaged in Brossard as the Canadiens wrapped up this year's development camp. Article content Hage finished his freshman season at Michigan with 13-21-34 totals in 33 games and was named the Big Ten's rookie of the year. Michigan didn't qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019, finishing the season with an overall record of 18-15-3. Article content As the season went on, Hage became a target for older and stronger opposing players. Article content 'As I said to him, 'Michael, if you're an elite player get used to it,'' Ramage said Thursday. 'The good players, the elite players, they find a way. He's a really solid young man. He takes it to heart. He really cares. One thing we talked about being with him last night is that it's good to take it to heart, but don't let it affect your game. It's a game of failures some times.' Article content Article content Article content Smooth is the best way to describe Hage's game. Everything he does is smooth, from his skating, to his stickhandling and his playmaking. He stayed at the University of Michigan after the season ended to work out in the gym and put on about 10 pounds ahead of the Canadiens' development camp. Article content 'I feel like it has really helped me,' the 19-year-old said. 'The strength and conditioning coaches and just the resources that we have at school are unbelievable. It's really helped me so far and I think it's going to help me next year.' Article content Hage will be going back to the University of Michigan for his sophomore season. When Ramage was asked when Hage might be ready to turn pro, he said: 'We're one year at a time right now. He was a freshman last year playing against older guys. Let's give him this year, we'll see where he's at.' Article content Michael Hage (No. 25 red), Canadiens' first-round pick (21st overall) at last year's NHL Draft, in action at #Habs development camp. — Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) July 2, 2025
Vancouver Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
Canadiens prospect Michael Hage has taken great strides at Michigan
Canadiens prospect Michael Hage got off to an impressive start last season as a freshman at the University of Michigan. Rob Ramage, the Canadiens' director of player personnel, was in Michigan to watch Hage — selected in the first round (21st overall) of last year's NHL Draft — play his first two NCAA games at centre against Minnesota State. Hage, who was listed at 6-foot-1 and 188 pounds when the Canadiens drafted him, had a goal and three assists as Michigan split the two-game series. Ramage was also there a couple of months later, when Hage got bounced around by a very physical and heavy Michigan State team. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'From the development standpoint, that was great and he was aware of that,' Ramage said about the game against Michigan State Thursday when Hage was among the 31 Canadiens prospects who scrimmaged in Brossard as the Canadiens wrapped up this year's development camp. Hage finished his freshman season at Michigan with 13-21-34 totals in 33 games and was named the Big Ten's rookie of the year. Michigan didn't qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019, finishing the season with an overall record of 18-15-3. As the season went on, Hage became a target for older and stronger opposing players. 'As I said to him, 'Michael, if you're an elite player get used to it,'' Ramage said Thursday. 'The good players, the elite players, they find a way. He's a really solid young man. He takes it to heart. He really cares. One thing we talked about being with him last night is that it's good to take it to heart, but don't let it affect your game. It's a game of failures some times.' Smooth is the best way to describe Hage's game. Everything he does is smooth, from his skating, to his stickhandling and his playmaking. He stayed at the University of Michigan after the season ended to work out in the gym and put on about 10 pounds ahead of the Canadiens' development camp. 'I feel like it has really helped me,' the 19-year-old said. 'The strength and conditioning coaches and just the resources that we have at school are unbelievable. It's really helped me so far and I think it's going to help me next year.' Hage will be going back to the University of Michigan for his sophomore season. When Ramage was asked when Hage might be ready to turn pro, he said: 'We're one year at a time right now. He was a freshman last year playing against older guys. Let's give him this year, we'll see where he's at.' Michael Hage (No. 25 red), Canadiens' first-round pick (21st overall) at last year's NHL Draft, in action at #Habs development camp. Hage has been invited to attend Team Canada's summer camp ahead of the IIHF World Junior Championship and has set a goal of making that team. Making the jump to the NCAA was a big one for Hage, who had 33-42-75 totals in 54 games with the USHL's Chicago Steel the season before the Canadiens drafted him. 'I would say just the intensity every night,' he said when asked what was the biggest adjustment. 'You play less games, so every game feels like a playoff game. I think as the year went on I started to get a little bit harder matchups. So I'd say the biggest thing is just how intense it is. It's harder to score than in a season when you're playing 68-70 games and you can't play with that intensity every night. I would say that's the biggest thing and you just got to be ready for it.' Overtime game winner from Michael Hage! Hage watched the Canadiens on TV last season and said it was 'a blast.' 'Seeing them really heat up in that second half and get in the playoffs was really fun,' he said. 'I was cheering for them. It's pretty cool. They're a fun team to watch. They're young, skilled, so I really enjoyed it.' When asked where he needs to improve his game the most next season at Michigan, Hage said: 'I would say just rounding out my game, my defensive game, faceoffs. Just continue to try to be as dominant as I can and just do everything I can to help us win.'
Montreal Gazette
2 days ago
- Sport
- Montreal Gazette
Canadiens Notebook: Management stresses compete level to prospects
Montreal Canadiens Compete level is something Canadiens management will be harping on as their rebuilding project heads into Year 4. 'I think everyone's talking about size and Washington and the way they played,' Jeff Gorton, the Canadiens' executive vice-president of hockey operations, said after the Canadiens lost to the Capitals in five games in the first round as the youngest team to make the NHL playoffs. 'Certainly, we're aware of that and as we move forward (GM Kent Hughes) and I had a lot of discussions about this … size. 'Compete is really the biggest thing,' Gorton added. 'Making sure we have people that are comfortable in a playoff environment to play in all situations.' Compete level is something that was stressed during the Canadiens' three-day development camp, which wrapped up Thursday at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard with 31 prospects taking part. 'Did you watch the playoffs?' Rob Ramage, the Canadiens' director of player development, asked when he met with the media after Thursday's scrimmage. 'Holy smokes, especially that final. That was living colour. And so, yes, that was a big, big part of the message and I think the compete was very good out there today. Yesterday it was good. We were one day shorter in camp than we've previously been and I think that helped the energy level.' Hayden Paupanekis is a 6-foot-5, 203-pound centre the Canadiens selected in the third round (69th overall) of last week's NHL Draft. He definitely adds size and also realizes the importance of compete level. 'If guys compete, you can do anything,' said Paupanekis, who had 22-21-43 totals in 71 games last season split between the WHL's Spokane Chiefs and Kelowna Rockets. 'Kind of like what they're telling us after practice and before and in the video room, they're saying: 'You got to compete. If you're not competing, you won't be sitting in a (Canadiens) jersey or in the dressing room.' So going forward, just my little habits and everything I do is really big and just trying to compete to get to the next level.' Nos choix de 2025 Our 2025 draftees #GoHabsGo | #NHLDraft — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) July 3, 2025 Character is another thing Canadiens management has focused on during this rebuilding process. 'We've gone on some jaunts here on the bus (during development camp) and I always wait until they get off and they all say thank you to the bus driver,' Ramage said. 'And that's not provoked … no one said to do that. And it was the same with Laval. I was in Charlotte with (the Rocket) in the (AHL) playoffs, so it's pretty impressive. It's a great group to work with. 'We talk about culture all the time and I think we're building a good one here,' Ramage added. Loving his job Ramage, the No. 1 overall pick at the 1979 NHL Draft by the Colorado Rockies, joined the Canadiens as director of player development in 2017 after working as an amateur scout with the St. Louis Blues and as a coach with the OHL's London Knights. When asked Thursday what he likes most about his job, the 66-year-old Ramage said: 'What don't I like about it? I feel blessed. It's fun. You know what, I was a stockbroker for 14 years (after retiring as a player in 1994, a year after winning the Stanley Cup as a defenceman with the Canadiens) and Sunday nights I was miserable. I was saying to myself: 'Oh, geez, what's wrong with you?' I was going to the salt mine the next day. This is hockey and these young men, they are a delight to work with. They really are.' One player Ramage did a lot of work with was defenceman Logan Mailloux, who the Canadiens traded to the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday in exchange for forward Zachary Bolduc. 'I'm happy for him,' Ramage said. 'When I spoke with him the other night I said: 'Hey, I got traded five times, expanded twice (claimed in NHL expansion drafts by the Minnesota North Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning). It's OK. I still got two Cups out of it (with the Calgary Flames in 1989 and the Canadiens in 1993), so don't worry.' 'I live in St. Louis, so we'll still be in touch,' Ramage added. 'I'll cook him a steak.' Bolduc keeping No. 76 Bolduc has decided to keep the No. 76 he wore with the Blues. The Trois-Rivières native will become only the third player in Canadiens history to wear No. 76 after Jozef Balej (2004) and P.K. Subban (2010-16). Zack Bolduc's going to fit right in with the @CanadiensMTL. #NHLFreeAgency (: IG/joaquimlemay) — NHL (@NHL) July 1, 2025 Last season the 22-year-old Bolduc had 19-17-36 totals in 72 games with the Blues. The Russians are coming The Canadiens had four Russian players at the development camp — forwards Yegor Goriunov and Makar Khanin, defenceman Bogdan Konyushkov and goalie Yevgeni Volokhin. Forward Alexander Zharovsky, the first player the Canadiens selected at last week's NHL Draft (34th overall) didn't attend the camp because he doesn't have a Canadian visa yet. ️ Discours de Martyyyy Marty speeeeech #GoHabsGo — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) July 3, 2025 Ramage said it's difficult keeping track of the team's Russian prospects because of travel restrictions with the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. 'But it was great having them in here,' Ramage said. 'They came in early. Got to know the city. I think they went up to Mont-Tremblant one day and got to jump in the lake, which was really cool. So it's just been getting to know each other, from their side and our side. But we get video. 'There is a language barrier,' Ramage added. 'We usually have to use an interpreter, so it's a little bit more difficult and hopefully peace will prevail and we'll be able to get over there and be able to see them.' Ramage had high praise for Konyushkov, a 6-foot, 171-pound defenceman who shoots right. The Canadiens selected Konyushkov in the fourth round (110th overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft and last season the 22-year-old had 3-14-17 totals in 67 games with the KHL's Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo. 'He speaks a little bit of English, so it was impressive when he's speaking to the other Russians on the ice, he was helping explain what the drills were,' Ramage said. 'So he's a very mature young man. He was a captain two years ago — one of the youngest captains in the KHL. He carries himself like a pro. I believe he's going to go back (to the KHL) this year and we'll see what happens next year. It would be nice to get him over.' Finding a spot Getting drafted by an NHL team is an accomplishment. Finding a spot on an NHL roster is even more difficult. 'So often a player gets drafted and he's not going to be what he was in junior or college,' Ramage said. 'He's got to find a seat that might not be that first power play or top-unit PK. What is going to get you to the next level? So that's part of the education process we have to do. And then, on their side, it's the buy in. And some push back and, you know what, they don't stick around very long. The others that buy in … Tel père, tel fils :) Like father, like son #GoHabsGo — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) July 3, 2025 'I think of Guy Carbonneau all the time,' Ramage added about the last Canadiens captain to hoist the Stanley Cup in 1993. 'A prolific scorer in junior (posting 72-110-182 totals in 72 games during his last season with the QMJHL's Chicoutimi Saguenéens) and that's not what he was in the pros and he's a Hall of Famer and Stanley Cup winner multiple times. So you try and use examples. 'These guys are a little bit young for Guy, so I have to find more recent ones,' Ramage added with a chuckle. Defenceman Trudeau re-signs Hughes announced Thursday that defenceman William Trudeau has agreed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Canadiens. The 22-year-old — selected by the Canadiens in the fourth round (113th overall) — of the 2021 NHL Draft had 5-14-19 totals in 68 AHL games last season and was plus-14 with the Rocket.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
How a WWII submariner took the fight directly to the Japanese
By the middle of 1944, United States Navy submarines had weathered hard times of unreliable torpedoes and a necessary learning process to matured weapons of war, aided by onboard radar. At the same time, their Japanese opponents had yet to fully address the threat that these underwater marauders posed to the ships that brought oil and other foreign resources from their far-flung empire. So fully developed were the American subs that Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, commander in chief of naval forces, Pacific (CINCPAC), had started the year off by adding destroyers to his priority lists, so as to accelerate the elimination of America's principal enemies. Like their German counterparts, the Americans were also operating in wolf packs of two or more, while the Japanese were modifying and arming numerous varieties of other ships, such as minesweepers, to make up their sub-hunter losses. A dramatic example of the situation in 1944 began in mid-June, when three boats from Submarine Attack Group 9, named 'Parks' Pirates' for their commander, Cmdr. Lewis Smith Parks, departed Pearl Harbor to prowl the waters from Formosa to Luzon. They were led by Cmdr. Lawson P. 'Red' Ramage on Parche, followed by Steelhead and Hammerhead. The Massachusetts native graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy as an ensign in July 1931, with his first attempt to get a submarine assignment initially blocked due to an eye injury. His second attempt, in which he memorized the eye chart, succeeded in getting him aboard S-29 in January 1936. He was a radio and sound officer at Pearl Harbor in March 1941, and he was there when Japanese carrier planes raided it on Dec. 7. On June 6, 1944, Parks' Pirates embarked on their first patrol, with modest initial results for Hammerhead: a sampan destroyed on June 9, followed by a coastal oil carrier damaged. On July 29, Hammerhead had to curtail its sweep when it came under air attack, returning for repairs at Fremantle, Australia, on Aug. 17. At 10:30 a.m. on July 30, Steelhead was off Formosa when it sighted smoke, which, upon investigation, revealed an enemy convoy escorted by aircraft. Unable to attack until nightfall, Steelhead maintained contact until 8:15 p.m., when it shot off a message summoning Parche, relaying the enemy's course and speed. Ramage responded at full speed, joining Steelhead at midnight to make surface attacks. The latter commenced hostilities at 3:32 a.m. with a bow spread of six torpedoes that struck a freighter, then a tanker. Steelhead then turned to launch four stern 'fish,' while two flares signaled the Japanese alarm. Ramage had been trying to set up a flank attack at about 3 a.m. when he encountered an escort vessel. Enemy flares revealed three such escorts darting about, two of which were between Parche and the convoy, and one bearing down on the sub. Ramage put his boat into a circular maneuver that brought it astern of the escort, confusing the enemy. 'Parche was now between the escorts and the convoy,' Ramage reported afterward, 'but while this maneuver was going on, the entire [enemy] convoy had reversed its field and now was headed directly at Parche.' Ramage aimed for an oncoming medium freighter, but he overestimated the range and suddenly found himself a mere 450 yards from his intended target. A hard right turn avoided disaster by only 200 yards. Ramage then shot off two torpedoes. His freighter target dodged them, but in so doing it blocked the advance of an escort, preventing it from attacking the sub while allowing it to get off two bow shots, one of which hit the freighter. Five minutes later, Ramage brought Parche into position to attack two tankers. All four of his bow torpedoes struck home on the first tanker, which sank immediately. The second tanker, hit twice, slowed but kept on moving. At this point, Parche was in the middle of a milling mass of cargo ships and escorts, all ships involved behaving more like patrol torpedo boats in their half-blind attempts to ram their assailant. As for Ramage, placing his boat in the center of it all, he too alternated his direction and launched torpedoes as the opportunity offered, while his torpedo crew rushed new ones into place. At 4:43 a.m., Ramage was preparing to dodge two escorts when he saw a small merchantman bearing down on him from the starboard bow, determined to ram. Ordering full right rudder, he avoided collision by just 50 feet, only to find two escorts at either hand and a passenger cargo vessel coming on to ram. Unable to dodge this one, Ramage went for broke and fired three torpedoes in a down-the-throat shot. His first fish missed, but the other two hit, stopping the ship in its tracks. Ramage turned hard left, then fired a stern shot that struck the cargo ship amidships. At 4:42 a.m., it sank. After a look around, Ramage reported: 'There were still several small craft and escorts around, but no worthwhile targets that we could see. I decided to put some distance between us and this hornet's nest.' While Parche was fighting its way into a fiery hell and back, Whelchel and Steelhead were also busy on the sidelines — sending four torpedoes at a troop carrier at 4:49 a.m. and another four at a freighter. Both subs subsequently disengaged, having suffered neither damage nor casualties in the 46-minute melee. A postwar assessment credited Steelhead with the 7,169-ton freighter Dakar Maru and the 8,195-ton transport Fuso Maru. Both subs were jointly credited with the 8,990-ton transport Yoshino Maru. Parche emerged from its solo torpedo duel with credit for the 10,238-ton tanker Koei Maru and 4,471-ton passenger-cargo ship Manko Maru. Both submarine officers were decorated for their outstanding performance that night. Steelhead's commander, David Whelchel, was awarded the Silver Star, while Ramage received the Medal of Honor from President Franklin D. Roosevelt on Jan. 10, 1945 — not so much for the tonnage his sub had destroyed, considerable though it had been, as for the wild way he had achieved it. Asked what drove him throughout the encounter, he simply said, 'I got mad.' Ramage continued to rise up the Navy ranks, reaching the command of Military Sea Transport in Washington and retiring in 1969 as a vice admiral. He died in Bethesda, Maryland, on April 15, 1990, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
